Study: Health risks to Erie residents is low from nearby fracking

JOSHUA POLSON/jpolson@greeleytribune.com
An oil and gas worker helps operate a drill high off the ground in southern Weld County. The Erie Board of Trustees recently heard the findings from an environmental assessment firm that investigated the emissions from natural gas wells in the area.

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An environmental assessment firm that studied the levels of emissions measured this summer near a group of natural gas wellheads in Erie has determined that the risk of human health problems related to those emissions is low.

The Erie Board of Trustees last Tuesday night heard a report from Cynthia Ellwood of Lakewood-based Pinyon Environmental, Inc. in which she reviewed the findings of air samplings performed in the town last year by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The town commissioned her assessment.

Erie has been the focus of heated debate regarding fracking, and a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration early last year concluded atmospheric levels of propane in the town were about 10 times more concentrated than in Pasadena, Calif.

Fracking is the practice of injecting large amounts of water, sand and some chemicals into the ground to unlock natural gas deposits trapped in subterranean pockets of rock.

State officials in July and August set up two monitoring sites near wellheads in Erie.

“The monitored concentrations of benzene, one of the major risks driving chemicals, are well within acceptable limits to protect public health, as determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,” the state’s report on its findings read. “The concentrations of various compounds are comparatively low and are not likely to raise significant health issues of concern. However, it should be noted the current state of the science is unable to estimate the potential risks due to exposure from multiple chemicals at the same time, which may be higher.”

Ellwood said Tuesday she took the state’s data and performed toxicological reviews of the ethane, propane, butane, benzene and other potentially harmful chemicals. She compared them to the EPA’s integrated risk information system and other materials that establish risk levels for exposure.

“My findings that led up to my conclusion were that health risks to residents of Erie given these concentrations that were presented in the CDPHE report are low,” Ellwood said. “Let me just say that this is not a perfect study. It is limited. There are 18 data points, and it was a one-month period ... and it is one well pad.”

Trustee Joe Carnival asked Ellwood to elaborate on what she meant by “low.”

She said while she could not definitively call the emission levels measured by the state “safe,” she could say that based on her findings, a lifetime of exposure to those levels were unlikely to result in adverse health effects for people.

“This is terrific news for Erie families who may have been misled into believing they were at significant risk,” Mayor Joe Wilson said after the presentation.

Liz Fisher, a 23-year Erie resident, told the trustees she appreciated the town arranging the testing, but because it took place over a short time frame at a well pad with special emission capture regulations, she thinks more long-term testing is needed.

“We know that methane and some of the other chemical compounds coming off these wells are potent greenhouse gases, and we now know that over half — approximately 55 percent — of the ground-level pollution in this area is, in fact, specifically from oil and gas operations,” Fisher said. “So for those reasons and many, many more, my personal belief is that fracking should be banned. Until there is sufficient information to determine the health risks and environmental impacts ... I hope one thing we can all agree on is the need for more air quality studies in Erie.”

Courtney Loper, the Denver-based field director for Energy In Depth, a research, education and public outreach campaign of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, called the study’s findings further proof the air in Erie is safe.

“This is good news for the people of Erie, who may have been alarmed by the misleading claims of anti-industry activists. It’s also important to note that the activists asked for these studies, and even recommended Pinyon Environmental to the town of Erie,” Loper said in a phone interview prior to Tuesday night’s presentation. “Hopefully, the activists will accept these findings from reputable sources, and resist the pressure coming from out-of-state environmental groups to manufacture a new set of false claims.”